midtown PAPER
A PUBLICATION OF MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT • houstonmidtown.com
4th qtr 2011
Wal l s wi t h Permi s si o n what’s inside inserted
• midtown map
anguilu takes art to a new dimension...
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midtown meetings choose a meeting and attend
Photo by QuantumSUR
music scene Photo by One World Strategy Group
bestfest in review
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two MLK parades set to begin at HCC-Central
helping hands healing streams
who do i call
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midtown dining xuco xicana blackfinn american grille
Dandee Danao, War’Hous Visual Studios
calendar of events a list of midtown events
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food for thought farrago world cuisine
D
aniel Anguilu’s original proposal – an indoor mural – was rejected by Lawndale Art Center. Instead, the gallery asked the artist whose murals had long been the talk in the East End, what he could do outside, along the building’s north exterior wall. “It’s a little intimidating for jobs like that,” says Anguilu, “mostly because of the weather and the resources. But as an artist you always want to push yourself to see what you can do. It was kind of like, ‘Here are some of the materials… knock yourself out.’” Armed with donated cans of house paint, Montana-brand spray paint and 5” rollers, he set out to create Famous Monsters, a largescale mural inspired by his Mexican heritage. His signature black forms became the outline for angular and organic animals and one-of-a-kind shapes that drew from the 33-year old’s Aztec influences. “One of my favorite parts of painting outdoors on buildings is the scale and the access everyone has to the art. This is not for one space and one crowd, this is for everyone to enjoy,” he believes. Murals like Famous Monsters, admits Anguilu, are not planned. “I have fun when I don't know what I’m going to do. The best part is seeing what’s coming out of it and not knowing where it’s going to take you.” He begins with huge, oversized shapes, and then starts working within the shapes by letting them “decide what they’re going to become.” Anguilu usually spends one day getting the wall ready, then the next day just looking at it. Beginning too quickly isn’t always prudent, he admits. It is a lesson he learned by trial and error. Anguilu estimates he spent about 30 hours on Famous Monsters, a seemingly small number when one stands toe-to-toe with the 30’ x 100’ wall. Once the Lawndale wall was completed in July 2011, Anguilu rededicated his artistic hours to the former MHMRA building, a mural he admits will be ongoing for quite awhile. In December 2011, he began the north wall of Dandee Danao’s
Graffiti Be Gone
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n 2003, the Greater East End Management District established a Graffiti Abatement Program to do away with unwanted graffiti and tagging in their area. Today, the award-winning program has a welcomed citywide presence, abating nearly 71,000 sites as of November 30, 2011. Sixteen management districts, including Midtown Management District (MMD), now utilize the program, as do
other governmental agencies. MMD is committed to keeping Midtown a clean, safe environment – 24/7 – for its visitors and stakeholders. Every other month, a Graffiti Abatement Team from Greater East End arrives with reports in hand, driving one of four GraffitiMobiles to work in tandem with those goals. Onboard are pressure
Midtown gallery, War’Hous Visual Studios. It’s only fitting that Danao would want Anguilu’s work. War’Hous was created with the purpose of providing a venue for under exposed local talents to display their passions and dreams. “Daniel is a good friend of mine now and I love his work because he doesn’t do it for glory or fame, it's the passion that drives him.” says Danao. “What's amazing is that he does most of his work from his own budget. That tells you how much of an artist he is and his work is so epic that it's so recognizable around town. He cares about other artists... a real genuine guy in my book and I’m honored to have his piece on my wall.” Graffiti is a subject Anguilu likes to stay away from; it’s not who he is today. He looks back on a point in time where he asked himself why he was doing graffiti; there was no meaning, only actions, and it made no sense to continue. Anguilu admits he’s been painting seriously for the past four years with a different view, though he’s painted and drawn in some form most of his life. He’ll tell you he’s not promoting anything other than the passion of public art, (he doesn’t even sign his murals) which he believes we need more of in the city. “I need to work outside,” says Anguilu. “I don’t have any dreams of a gallery or working indoors. This is what I enjoy doing as a pastime, more as a passion, not as a profession.” Anguilu has studio work (smaller paintings), that add some funding, enabling him to produce on a larger scale. The concept of a legal or “free wall” is long familiar in neighborhoods like the East End where numerous works are now community landmarks. The Greater East End District’s proactive approach to graffiti abatement has enlisted the talents of local school children to paint murals on designated wall settings previously tagged with graffiti. As an example, many East End bus shelters now feature murals by local students and artists. “Midtown has been really accepting of the art community and understands it,” says Anguilu. “I thank them for opening doors for artists like me.” In years past, local artists were given the east wall of Midtown’s
washers, sandblasters and paint mixers that enable the team to eliminate the graffiti, then color match paint on site, restoring the property to its pre-graffiti state. The Team is required to take part in a six-month training program. The job brings a sense of ownership, explains Greater East End’s Public Safety and Facilities Director Martin Chavez, but also frustration if the Team has to return when the property is defaced again. Graffiti in the public right of way? Not good. Please report addresses and cross streets, to Midtown's Cynthia Alvarado at cynthiaa@houstonmidtown.com. To date, MMD has abated over 1,000 sites in the Midtown District.
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Then & Now
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onnie Jackson is proud to tell you about his 33 years of experience as an auto mechanic, specializing in preowned Mercedes Benz. His 21 years as an independent Mercedes Benz used car dealer is a kudo, too. But when you ask him why he’s not located on a Houston freeway feeder or near an auto mall, he’ll no doubt smile and take you into
Ronnie Jackson pictured here in his mother’s arms.
in & about a list of new and exciting happenings in midtown
War’Hous Visual Studios
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